Randy Lynch: Pledge not on the County Commission agenda

I'm sure there are people who'll accuse me of jumping on the "Down on Billy Garrett" bandwagon and, while I have no problem being there, his behavior has made it so that it's getting a lot more crowded on that bandwagon and I can't always find a vacant seat. Nonetheless, the County Commission chairman's behavior that gets him into trouble and he never fails to disappoint.

At the Doña Ana County Commission meeting on July 31, Garrett called the meeting to order, then moved straight to a roll call of commissioners. When he was reminded to have the Pledge of Allegiance, his immediate response was to announce, "It's not on the agenda." I'm sorry, but it's not on the agenda? The Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of our nation shouldn't have to be listed on any agenda. It should be an integral part of any government function. After all, this is a meeting of a government body in Doña Ana County. In New Mexico. In the United States of America. Just as a matter of pride, we should happily be willing to pledge our allegiance to this nation that has been such a shining beacon for freedom throughout the world. The idea of even wanting to gloss over that is completely alien to me.

I'm not really sure how, especially considering that Billy Garrett has been a commissioner for over four years, but I suppose it's possible to forget something like the pledge. But when you're reminded, the decent response is to admit the mistake and then make sure it gets done. You don't double down by hiding behind procedure.

This doesn't particularly surprise me, but it does speak directly to the character of Garrett and other progressives like him who hold office both locally and across the state and nation. While we may, at some point, hear an almost obligatory, half-hearted apology that's become the norm in this age of political correctness from Mr. Garrett, his behavior in this case was simply an overt sign of the attitude toward national pride that progressives have been cultivating for decades.

It's the idea that, at best, we should feel shame for being Americans and, at worst, that we should despise our nation for all its supposed evils that have been manufactured over the years by left-wing propaganda.

Truthfully, this seems to me like something worthy of commentary regarding the performance of officials like Garrett and most of our other commissioners. If something gets in their way or is inconvenient, they just ignore it. Pledging allegiance to our nation? It's not on the agenda. Honoring the will of the people as expressed at the polls, most recently on the GRT increase and public transit? It's not on the agenda. Acting in the best interest of the citizens of Doña Ana County instead of increasing the size and power of government? It's not on the agenda. Passing a budget that has the county living within our means and not outspending our projected income by over $15 million? It's not on the agenda.

Billy Garrett completes his second term in 2018, Wayne Hancock comes up for re-election in 2017, David Garcia next year in 2016, with Leticia Duarte-Benavidez's seat becoming vacant at the same time. Allowing any of these commissioners or other progressives with a similar disdain for the will of the people they serve and, in Garrett's case, for pledging loyalty to our nation? That should no longer be on our agenda.

Randy Lynch writes the The Midnight Ride blog at midnightride.co and is the co-founder of the New Mexico Conservative Activist Network.

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